I was chosen by a committee comprised of New Hampshire Arts Council members and Smithsonian representatives to demonstrate my craftsmanship at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. for 2 weeks in 1999. Over 1.5 million visitors attended that Folklife Festival (which features only one state each year). That once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ranks as one of the highlights in my rod making career. As far as I know, I'm the only bamboo rod maker to have been selected by the Smithsonian to demonstrate my rod making skills. The following year, I was demonstrating my craftsmanship for the State of New Hampshire for 5 days in a re-creation of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Over 75,000 attended that show, held at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds.